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Rua, Sonnen set to scrap after UFC weigh-ins

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night could very well be the most stacked card the promotion has ever put on free television and all 26 competitors are ready for action following Friday’s weigh-ins.

Main event competitors Chael Sonnen and Mauricio (Shogun) Rua both stepped on the scale at an even 205 pounds for their light-heavyweight bout.

Sonnen, a former No. 1 middleweight contender, is known as the best trash talker in MMA but has been uncharacteristically respectful of his opponent heading into Saturday’s tilt, which takes place at the TD Garden in Boston.

However, during fight week he has been slowly pumping up the promotional pomp, and on Friday he had a final one-liner when talking about Shogun.

“You can call him a friend, you can call him a legend, but in 24 hours you can call him a victim,” Sonnen said on the FUEL TV post-weigh-ins show.

Sonnen (27-13-1) is looking to snap a two-fight losing streak after he was TKO’d by Anderson Silva at UFC 148 and Jon Jones at UFC 159, both in title fights.

Rua (21-7) aims to bounce back from a unanimous decision loss to Alexander Gustafsson in December. A big win could propel the Brazilian back into the title picture, despite some suggesting his career could be winding down.

“I’m still young and I want to fight for a lot of years more,” Rua told FUEL TV.

Lately the former UFC light-heavyweight and Pride Grand Prix champion has been working with famed boxing trainer Freddie Roach in an attempt to make his already dangerous striking more effective.

“I hope I can show something different. I have learned a lot from Freddie Roach and hope to show it,” Shogun added

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